Ascension of the Dark Seraph-Chapter 347: Aqua Mirror

It was the usual, bratty voice that Lucivar had grown accustomed to.

Just hearing it alone annoyed him, but at this moment, that voice was salvation.

He was finally able to defeat that creature and came back to reality.

Compared to the Anvil of Sutekh, which promotes pain that forged his entire body into a blade, the trial Tamtu gave him was worse, in his opinion. Sure, it was quite simple to complete—he was only required to kill the monster that was attracted to him.

But the Primordial Sea is depressing.

An endless sea as far as the eyes can see, filled with the unknown that intrudes the heart with dread.

He wasn’t surprised that Sirrush expected him to be depressed.

In the full face of such isolation from the normal environment, people could easily go mad.

Anyone who doesn’t have anything to cling to will lose their mind in a heartbeat.

Soon enough, nothing would matter in that realm.

Fortunately for Lucivar, the thought of his unfinished business with karma kept him grounded, kept him focused, and kept him burning with passion. As long as that depressing and dreading realm could make him stronger, could offer him strength, then he would survive it.

"But man... I never want to go back to that place again."

Lucivar closed his eyes.

Even now, with the fresh air brushing against his body, he still felt confined in a body of water.

Getting over that realm would take time—he already knows it.

"I’d probably go back into that realm again, though. I have no choice."

Now that he had gone through the process, he now knew that Tamtu’s Divine Blood was morphing his cells and DNA to accept the ability of her children. It explains why he felt different after absorbing the purple sphere, but see now changes.

As it turns out, he’d need the Divine Merit to go into that realm and adapt to one of the monsters there.

Then again, he should’ve expected this since Tamtu was literally the Mother of Monsters.

She was the origin of all monsters in the world.

Perhaps the Crossers also originated from her, which was extremely likely.

"Heurghhk!"

Lucivar’s eyes widened as he turned to his side, coughing blood from his mouth.

He looked at the crimson lifeblood and frowned.

Soon, his body was assaulted with relentless pain that began from his temple and made its way down.

Veins and muscles bulged in synchrony as he pressed his forehead against the ground.

"Relax. Your body is mutating to use the Tidereplica Aqua Leech’s ability. It’ll be over soon enough."

Sirrush was nonchalant in saying that.

He said relax as if he couldn’t see that Lucivar was in excruciating pain.

No chance for him to relax when the pain was this overwhelming, like having his body reformed, utterly destroyed from the inside, and then made anew after merging the Tidereplica Aqua Leech’s DNA into him, which would allow the use of its ability.

Looking down at his body, his eyes widened as bones began to protrude out.

Sharp bones that were certainly not a part of the human anatomy.

At least six bones came out, tearing through flesh from the inside.

"RARGGHK!!"

Birds flew away as his shout echoed throughout the woods, even scaring the animals around.

About five minutes later, Lucivar panted heavily.

His body has now returned to normal, but the veins along his arms and face were deep blue in color.

All of them throbbed scarily for a good moment before they began to fade.

Once the process was completed, Lucivar lay in a pool of his own blood, his eyes glassy and unfocused, his body drained of all strength. For a good moment, he stared blankly into the distance, motionless like a discarded doll.

It took him a full half hour of stillness before he could finally regain his motoric control again.

Lucivar pushed himself up and reached for his throbbing head.

"Eurghh... No pain, no gain, that seemed to really stick with the Gods. Make it feel good for once."

He complained aloud, annoyed that the process of getting stronger always involved pain beyond what he could endure. It always has to start with pain first before the pleasure comes. Then again, that might be how the world works right now.

On the side, he found Sirrush still waiting patiently.

"Aren’t you supposed to be training Nerissa?"

"Do you think I can’t exist in two places at a time?"

Lucivar raised a brow, but he didn’t press further.

Anything goes when it’s about the powerful.

"Is it done now? Do I need to prepare for something again?"

"Nope, it’s done. Your cells had absorbed and adapted the Tidereplica Aqua Leecher’s cells."

"Does that mean I can use its ability?"

Sirrush nodded in response.

"Yes, it’s called Aqua Mirror."

Almost instantly, Lucivar snapped out of his daze and climbed back to his feet, making sure to do it slowly lest he slip on his own blood. Once he was standing straight, he turned to Sirrush again, "So, how can I activate it?"

"I don’t know, how would you activate it?" Sirrush returned the question with a meaningful smile.

Just then, Lucivar’s eyes widened when he realized that he already knew.

He gathered his saliva in his mouth and then spat it a couple of meters in front of him.

It hit the ground with a soft, damp splat.

Almost like it was alive, the saliva quivered.

At first, it was subtle.

But then it began to shudder in earnest, trembling with a strange vitality. A slick noise accompanied its movement, wet and unnerving, as the glistening puddle started to grow—widening, thickening, rising upward in uneven pulses.

It stretched like melting iron in reverse, reforming itself with purpose.

Strands of vicious fluid slithered upward, threading into limbs, curving into a spine, coiling into every musculature and bone. The surface folded with grotesque grace—layers of translucent sheen building like skin. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Soon came the face.

Initially, it was a suggestion of features, but it grew detailed rapidly.

Eyes sank into place, hollow at first, then filled with inky gleam.

A mouth pulled itself across the jawline.

Hair spilled down like threads of oil, hanging damp and heavy.

A few seconds ago, it was no more than a spit, but now stood a fully formed person.

Lucivar’s clone.

"It’s exactly as I looked like, handsome and majestic," Lucivar rubbed his chin with a smile, marveling at the replica of his own self. "Still, I’m annoyed that I figured out that damn creature’s ability so late. It’s only making clones, damn it."

"Not clones, perfect clones. This clone has almost the same strength as you, but is easier to kill." Sirrush rolled his eyes, annoyed that Lucivar couldn’t appreciate the power of the Primordial Sea’s monsters. "Besides, do you really need to spit to activate it?"

"Hmm? No, of course not." Lucivar crossed his arms. "I just thought it’d look cooler that way."

"Mortals and their ideals..."

"Divine beasts and their boring ideals..."

Sirrush scoffed and flew away, heading back to Nerissa.

Staying there longer would only result in an argument, and he knew where he’d end up if that started.

He’d get beaten to a pulp.

"Hmph! If only you’re not mother’s avatar..." He complained under his breath.

Averting away from Sirrush, Lucivar looked at the clone and pointed to his right.

"Let’s see what you can do. Use the Radiant Burst at maximum power. Do not pull anything back."

Obeying his instruction was as if it were the instruction of its God; the clone raised its arm.

He pointed to his left and cast the Radiant Burst spell.

Boom!

Several trees were blown away, and several more ahead toppled over from the rush of ether.

"Hmm, not as strong as mine. But I told you to use your maximum power," Lucivar raised a finger as if the clone were a dog that needed training. "Maximum power, and do not hold back. Why didn’t you use God strands?"

Hearing this, the clone shook his head.

"Hmm? You can’t?"

Lucivar massaged his forehead.

The Greedy Grasp ability is a power inherited from Loki, so he should’ve known that a clone couldn’t use that. "Following that logic, you also couldn’t use Triune Scarab or the Fool’s Trick. Well, I guess it is to be expected. All you can use are my regular spells."

Even though it was a shame, Lucivar wasn’t complaining.

His eyes flickered with power as the clone’s body was split into two, forming two clones.

Lucivar kept going, willing them to make more of themselves.

And in a moment, ten clones are standing in front of him.

"This is very useful, no...?" He smirked deviously.

...

Meanwhile, in the Bloodhaven Academy.

It was another silent day that didn’t quite feel right.

Leandra sat in the cafeteria, looking at her own plate with a troubled gaze.

No sign of Ravenna.

And there was also no news from Lucivar.

Staying completely put was eating her alive, especially since what happened last night.

"It’s not safe—for us anymore, even in the academy. Lucivar’s enemies are too powerful," She sighed, swirling her spoon into the soup. "The family needs to stick together, but with the problem with Master Tobias... What are we supposed to do?"

Leandra slumped her face into her hands, depressed.

All she had been doing was training as that’s the only thing holding her sanity together.

But as she was dreading alone, the table moved a bit.

Confused, Leandra raised her gaze and froze when she saw Mirel and Bakar sitting across from her.

Almost instantly, her face turned neutral as she began eating.

"You should’ve asked to join before sitting down." She looked at her food, not meeting their eyes.

Mirel’s gaze narrowed.

He had been living under the same roof with Leandra for a long time.

Even though they hadn’t really been talking extensively, he still knew when she was stressed.

"Spill it, Leandra. I know you have something on your mind."

"We’re your family too."

Hearing this, Leandra waved her hand nonchalantly.

"I was only stressing about reaching the next rank, nothing new." She still remained elusive.

No need for her to say anything to these two; doing so would only make it worse.

It’s best to keep it to herself.

"Don’t lie. I know when you lie. You always avoided eye contact if you lie," Mirel crossed his arms, analyzing Leandra’s demeanor. "Seems like whatever you’re thinking also involves us. Tell us already, so we can help."

Bakar nodded in agreement.

He also noticed some things that are troubling him.

"It was you last night... wasn’t it?"

"Did you make an enemy? Family sticks together, right?"

"Or was it Lucivar’s enemy? Just tell us the truth."

"I didn’t see Ravenna and Bob anywhere, too. Where are they?"

"You’re always sitting here alone, so don’t tell us that you don’t know where they are."

"Enough!"

Leandra slammed her hand against the table, surprising the two and also the students around them.

But she didn’t care.

"Both of you really want to know? Fine, I’ll tell you all of it."

The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr(e)𝒆novelkiss